Man Guilty Of Murdering Teen

Courtroom Outbursts Result In Arrests

June 12, 1998|By PATTI ROSENBERG Daily Press

WILLIAMSBURG — Emotion ran high inside Williamsburg-James City County Circuit Court when the jury announced Thursday afternoon Jacob L. Mitchell was guilty of the first-degree murder of 17-year-old Erica Ruth.

After 2 1/2 days of testimony, the jury deliberated for more than six hours over two days. Dozens of people camped out at the courthouse nervously awaiting the verdict.

Nearly all of Erica's friends and family members who attended the trial burst into tears and hugged each other. Dane Ruth, the victim's father, turned to his wife and quietly mouthed one word: "Yes!"

Mitchell's father buried his face in his hands. Some of his son's friends loudly stormed out of the courtroom in disgust before the jury's decision on the rest of the charges was even been read.

Circuit Judge Samuel Powell told court bailiffs not to let anyone else leave until the jury finished. Then he ordered one of Mitchell's friends arrested and jailed on contempt of court charges. Seeing his friend being taken away, Mitchell started sobbing.

Minutes later, police arrested another friend of Mitchell's for allegedly cursing at the jurors leaving the courthouse. The jurors were leaving for a quick lunch before deliberating on Mitchell's sentence.

When they returned at 2 p.m., many extra city, county and State Police were on hand to ensure peace was maintained.

Before leaving for the night, however, the jury foreman, citing the turmoil that day, asked the judge how he could go about getting a concealed weapon permit. Powell told him to see the sheriff.

In addition to the usual couple of bailiffs, more than 10 police officers were inside the courtroom and more guarded the lobby and outside of the building. There were no further eruptions.

In the sentencing phase of the trial, Williamsburg-James City County Commonwealth's Attorney Mike McGinty entered into evidence Mitchell's criminal history, consisting of two convictions for assault and battery, two convictions for grand larceny, plus convictions for possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and curse and abuse.

He also urged jurors to remember how brutal and senseless Erica's death was, to remember that she was a girl who never lived to see her high school graduation, whose family will never spend another holiday with her and who will never bring her children home to see their grandparents.

Defense attorney Damian Horne begged jurors for "holy compassion" for his client, to reach beyond their human inclinations to the divine.

He asked them to consider that there were two lives involved, one that had been tragically extinguished, the other on the verge of being extinguished for all intents and purposes.

Three hours later, jurors recommended a sentence of life in prison for the murder, three years for use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, five years for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and 10 years for grand larceny - almost the maximum possible on every charge. However, they dismissed a burglary charge. Powell set formal sentencing for Aug. 6.

The grand larceny charge was for stealing the gun used to kill Erica, a .357-Magnum her mother kept for protection on a headboard in a back bedroom.

The case did not qualify for the death penalty because there was no evidence Erica was murdered during a robbery, rape or other serious sexual assault or attempted sexual assault.

Probably the most damaging evidence against Mitchell was that, after hours of interrogation, he agreed to lead police to the murder weapon, a revolver that belonged to Erica's mother.

It was buried under a log in a swampy area deep in some woods near the Woods of Williamsburg apartment Erica shared with her mother. The gun was the only thing missing from the apartment the night Erica was killed.

Mitchell admitted that he'd been in the apartment that night but claimed someone else had killed Erica.

Erica's mother, Roxie Ruth, said she was "elated" and "relieved" about the jury's verdict. "It's kind of like I've been set free. The big burden is gone."

"We loved her so much. And we miss her so much," said Carolyn Siebel, one of Erica's best friends. "I'm glad it's over and she can finally rest in peace."

"I love him dearly, and I'll stick by him," said Bernard Mitchell, the defendant's father. "I really don't believe he did this."

Angel Graves, whose brother was one of those arrested for his outburst, denounced the jury's decision as racist - even though two of the jurors are black, as is Mitchell.

"They had no evidence. No fingerprints. No blood. How are they going to find him guilty? ... Maybe because he looked like he did it because he's black."

A popular Lafayette High School senior, Erica was shot four times and bludgeoned in the head about 20 times while home alone the night of April 17, 1997.

Mitchell and the victim were acquaintances, but police never disclosed any possible motive for the attack. Prosecutors didn't develop that issue during the trial, either.